Cole Payton: Browns' Third-Round Gamble?

0:00On April 3rd, 10 years back in the 2016 NFL draft, the Cleveland Browns held the number two pick and traded it away to the Philadelphia. Eagles for more draft ammo, passing on quarterback Carson Wentz, who went right after. Folks still roast them for that move, even though Wentz bounced around as a backup. Now another North Dakota State quarterback, Cole Payton, is stepping up as the next bison, hoping to break through. This 6-foot-3, 232-pound lefty crushed it in 2025 at the FCS level, hitting 72% of his passes. For 2,719 yards, 16 touchdowns, and just 4 picks. He also ran wild with 777 rushing yards and 13 scores, showing serious dual-threat juice over his career. Fans and analysts are split on Payton, with some calling him polarizing due to limited starts in raw mechanics, but others hype his upside after, shining at the Senior Bowl fresh off-thumb surgery. Experts see him as a short yardage weapon early, maybe developing into a starter later, drawing comms to taste him hill, but with higher QB ceiling.

1:08Draft boards have him around 145th overall, 5th round territory, though one spot pegs him as a second-round starter value. For the Browns, Desperate quarterback under coach Todd Monkin, who skimmed for Lamar Jackson, Payton fits the mobile mold, but they cannot afford. Another project without proven pocket skills. It Payton slips to the third round, it might tend to cleave into gamble and reshape their QB room, especially with other names like Dylan Gabriel in. The mix, keeping their search at peak urgency.